Heartfelt thanks for adaptive sports

Our son, Patrick, age 23, has cerebral palsy, and uses a wheelchair to navigate his environment. Before moving to Stowe, Patrick’s only “freedom” was within a swimming pool.

But when we moved to Stowe in 2009, another sort of freedom and mobility opened up to Patrick when he discovered the joy of sit-skiing.

Patrick, who is unable to see, and unable to communicate in “conventional” ways, loves this weekly activity! Imagine putting all your trust in another individual while zooming down the hill, “bucketed” in a sit-ski. You can tell by the way he smiles, sings and claps his hands that he thoroughly enjoys his adaptive ski sessions. And we greatly appreciate the scholarship from Stowe Friends of Adaptive Sports and the community support behind the Friends that makes it possible for our family to ski together. We have had three generations skiing together on the mountain at one time!

A special thanks to Cynthia Needham and Keja MacEwan for coordinating the effort and the Mountain for allowing this magical experience to happen. In addition, a truly special gratitude goes out to Matt Lindemer and Ben DeBenedictis for their remarkable respect and care of Patrick while on the mountain. Not only do these two young gentlemen guide Patrick down the mountain with great skill (requiring great strength), they treat Patrick truly as a peer and a friend. For this, I am forever grateful.

Thanks for a great ski season, and here’s to many more!

Mary Anne Lewis, Patrick’s mom

Stowe